Archives for July 2018

What’s In, What’s Out: South Africa’s Décor Trend in 2018: Photo: istock Nothing about South African décor 2018 says minimal, the style is bold, exciting, and daring at the same time. Those clean colours and smooth walls are now in the past; a wide variety of designs, textures, and colour combinations have now emerged with grey being the new black in décor. Johannesburg: The old trend of white walls and single monotones is now out and South Africans are embracing elegant and stylish colours that complement one another. People have realized that it is the delicate colours that are more beautiful when creating a living space. What is popular nowadays is what older generations would approve of. When it comes to furniture people are going for unfinished pieces, it’s not uncommon that you walk into a house and find a cut piece of tree trunk that has been customized to match other pieces in the house. In terms of shapes, rounder shapes are the preference of the day. Indoor plants have been in for a long time and they are still in this year. They bring freshness in the home and the great thing about them is that you can always choose the species that you love. Brass and concrete planters that have modern shapes and designs are now the preferred choices. This year, some of the aspects that most people check before making colour decisions, include the amount of natural light a room receives and the direction the light comes from. Grey, being a colour that is in between, has proved to be quite popular as it’s neither bright nor dull. Moreover, people have devised different ways of incorporating it in rooms from sofa colours, seat covers, pillows to even floor rugs. The preferred art and patterns for decoration and decor are big, abstract and inspired by nature; these can range from plants, trees to even hand patterns. Textures and textiles have also become diverse and there is so much to choose from this year. For instance, smooth interior walls are being replaced with bare stone wall on one, two or all sides. In addition, the new trend is to paint on the building stone to bring out an interesting contrast in living spaces. The results are breath-taking. On the other hand, when it comes to seats, leather continues to be popular while gold themed decorations are preferred for indoor décor. There is so much to choose from, when it comes to décor in 2018. To learn more … [Read more...]

The men and women who defend the country’s wildlife, sometimes paying with their very lives, have been honoured as South Africa observes World Ranger Day.
Environmental Affairs Deputy Minister Barbara Thomson on Tuesday led country celebrations at Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape.
Thomson delivered the commemorative message, highlighting the dedication and commitment of South Africa’s rangers as well as the importance of World Ranger Day, which is observed on 31 July each year globally.
It is a day to commemorate the many rangers killed or injured in the line of duty. It is also a day to celebrate the work they do to protect the world's natural and cultural treasures.
This year, SANParks showcased the work done by marine rangers in the national parks at the Darlington Dam section of Addo Elephant National Park. The display showed how marine and terrestrial rangers work together to protect natural heritage.
South Africa is battling threats to its wildlife on many fronts and elephants and rhinos are not the only animals at risk of being poached. Species such as abalone are illegally harvested and sea turtles are snared, while illegal fishing and dumping of waste into the oceans is rife.
Sharks are caught for their fins, while whales and other ocean species are dying because of overfishing and the amount of plastic and other waste dumped into the oceans.
“As a result, much of the ranger corps duties are being focused on anti-poaching operations. SANParks rangers undergo extensive training, supported by canine units, small air wing aircraft, as well as sophisticated technology as part of its anti-poaching operations.
“Our rangers are facing daily hardships in their efforts to protect many of our species, such as the elephant, rhino, cycad, pangolin and abalone from poachers.
Our country’s natural heritage, derived from our enormous biodiversity, is a key income generator for tourism and thus an important contributor to our economy through job creation and tourism,” Thomson said.
Supporting rangers and volunteers
She thanked SANParks for its significant role in providing the rangers with the necessary support in terms of specialised training and equipment to enable them to respond effectively to incidents.
Thomson said if it were not for these excellent individuals who risk their lives to protect the … [Read more...]